2013 Week Thirteen NFL Power Rankings

By: Matt Harmon32. Houston Texans (2-9)

The Texans have earned the title as the worst team in the league. With their loss to the Jaguars on Sunday, the Texans are now on pace to obtain the number one pick in the draft. Many people see this team as a quick fix, but when Gary Kubiak is let go, the offensive personnel in place will be ill equipped to convert to any other offensive system.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

The Jaguars may just go ahead play themselves out of the number one pick. This draft class looks deep enough that they may be able to get a decent guy at quarterback elsewhere in the top three.

30. Atlanta Falcons (2-9)

The Falcons are another team that is definitely not a one-offseason rebuild. With problems abounding on both lines, the Falcons cannot hope to have the infusion of talent they desperately need in time to compete next year.

29. Minnesota Vikings (2-8-1)

For the first time all season, it sounds like the Vikings offensive line was finally able to blast open some holes. Hopefully this group sustains that level of play, because when Minnesota is rebuilding this offseason, it would be nice for them to have that to hang their hat on.

28. Washington Redskins (3-8)

The Redskins continue their recent run of futility. Robert Griffin is yet another case of the overly panicked nature in which we view second year quarterbacks. Seriously, he is Cam Newton from this time last year. Plenty of people were ready to write the book on Cam amid struggles last season, but what do you know, he was able to evolve and is now the quarterback of a top five NFL team. To consider a 23-year-old kid a finished product is nothing short of lunacy. Narratives are funny things.

27. Oakland Raiders (4-7)

Matt McGloin is almost certainly going to be the starter the rest of the way. It seems this team always wanted a caretaker type at the position, rather than the improvisational Terrelle Pryor.

26. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

The Bills return from their bye hoping that they see more good E.J. than bad E.J. If that happens, this Bills team has enough talent to build a lot of momentum to take into next season.

25. Miami Dolphins (5-6)

The Dolphins are pretty easy to figure out right now. Unity narratives aside, this is an average football team that is in every game, but loses just as many of those close games as they win.

24. New York Giants (4-7)

Good thing we can stop pretending the Giants are going to go on another magical run. The Giants ran the ball with authority against the Cowboys, but their flaws run too deep for that to be enough to win. This is another team that may be in line for a big time retooling.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8)

The Bucs are steadily climbing up the rankings, and are earning it too. The Bucs clearly have not quit on their coach, and are showing that all along they were a pretty talented team. Mike Glennon looks like the answer for these guys so far.

22. Cleveland Browns (4-7)

The Browns are turning back into the metaphorical pumpkin. Without a consistent running game, and the constant cycling of quarterbacks, this team just does not have enough firepower right now. At least it is easy to see where they stand to improve in the offseason.

21. New York Jets (5-6)

The Jets are falling hard and fast, but no matter what they should not bench Geno Smith. Long term, it would be far too irresponsible to do so. The Jets, even if they make the playoffs this season, are not going anywhere. It is much more vital to know if Geno can be your quarterback beyond this season.

20. Baltimore Ravens (5-6)

The Ravens play a pretty big game against the Steelers on Thanksgiving. Whoever ends up getting beat can pretty much forget about going to the playoffs. The Ravens should let Flacco throw the ball all over the yard like the Patriots did to the Steelers a few weeks back.

19. Tennessee Titans (5-6)

The Titans fall in these rankings, but if they can get the good Ryan Fitzpartick on a semi-consistent basis, they still have a chance to steal the AFC South. They are certainly playing better than the Colts right now.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6)

The Steelers are the presumptive favorite for that sixth seed right now, but if they lose to the Ravens on thanksgiving, this season is right back in the toilet. It still might not be such a bad thing for this team to miss the postseason, because this franchise needs to take a long look in the mirror.

17. San Diego Chargers (5-6)

Of all the mediocre AFC wildcard teams, the Chargers are probably the ones with best chance to make noise. After all, their quarterback is playing the best of that uninspiring bunch.

16. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)

A huge drop for the Colts, and it might only be getting worse. The Colts have to potential to win every week if Andrew Luck plays out of this world great, but even he is not playing that well. What are the Colts good at right now?

15. Green Bay Packers (5-5-1)

Matt Flynn might be playing himself into another starting job. Hopefully, that is a joke. In all seriousness though, he showed on Sunday that he might have enough left in him to grab this team a few more wins before Aaron Rodgers gets back.

14. St. Louis Rams (5-6)

If the Rams were in the AFC they would easily be a playoff team. It is pretty amazing that they discovered their identify and are playing so much better without their “franchise quarterback”. What does that say about Sam Bradford?

13. Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

The Cowboys continue to flutter around the middle of the power rankings. If they truly do go 8-8 again, miss the playoffs, and Jerry Jones does in fact keep everything in place; there is no hope for this team.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

The Bengals come off their bye hoping that Andy Dalton can get back to the way he was playing in the month of October. Analyzing the Bengals is far too easy.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5)

The Eagles come off their bye and should feel fully confident that they are the best team in the NFC East. Even if they are currently not the first place team.

10. Chicago Bears (6-5)

The Bears run defense is so miserable it is almost unspeakable. Even if they somehow squeaked into the playoffs, that defense is almost certainly not going to allow them to go anywhere.

9. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

The 49ers did not suddenly fix all their offensive issues. They just played the worst defense in the NFL on a national stage. This is still pretty much the same team it was going into their Monday night victory, and they should by no means feel comfortable with where they stand right now.

8. Detroit Lions (6-5)

The Lions are going to fall down these rankings if they continue to try and give away the NFC North. It is like ever since the media began to say they were the clear-cut favorites they have packed it in. Division races are not decided in November, fellas. If the Packers beat the Lions on Thanksgiving the Packers will absolutely win this division.

7. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

The Cardinals are going to the playoffs. This is a well-rounded team, and if Carson Palmer sustains this level of play, it is a down right deadly team. Heck, if they were in the AFC they would be the clear-cut third best team in the conference. No doubt they are better than the Colts and the Bengals.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)

That vaunted Chiefs defense sure looked pretty pedestrian without Justin Houston and Tamba Hali. Yet another example why pressure is always more important than coverage on the backend. Houston and Hali turned a couple decent cornerbacks in Marcus Cooper and Sean Smith into All-Pros. They need their edge rushers back in bad way.

5. New England Patriots (8-3)

Death, taxes, and the Patriots get a home playoff game. Seriously it just happens every year. The AFC is going to come down to a rematch of Sunday night’s game as the championship game; is there any doubt in that? Like all these next few teams, they do have one glaring flaw, and that would be their run defense.

4. Carolina Panthers (8-3)

The Panthers had no business wining that game on Sunday. They were outplayed for three quarters and clearly looked past the Dolphins. Riverboat Ron said as much in his press conference after the game, a rare move for a coach. However, the team and Cam Newton still came away with the win after a clutch fourth quarter drive. That is what great teams, and great players, do.

3. New Orleans Saints (9-2)

The Saints travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Monday Night Football. Oh what a game that will be. The Saints are not the dangerous team from their Super Bowl run, but they are pretty good in their own right. Like the Panthers, it says a lot that they have come up with two wins in a row when they clearly were not playing their best football.

2. Denver Broncos (9-2)

The Broncos do not get much of a downgrade after their loss to the Patriots. Their defense was missing their best cornerback for the entire second half, and realistically, that game would have likely ended in a tie if not for Wes Welker’s special teams gaffe in overtime. The Patriots and Broncos are just about even right now.

1. Seattle Seahawks (10-1)

The Seahawks are clearly the number one team right now. Not just because they have the best record either, but also because this is a complete team. The suspensions in the secondary are certainly a concern though. Russell Wilson is clearly the best quarterback form last year’s draft.

All content on Backyard Banter is the original work of Matt Harmon, unless otherwise noted

Please contact Matt with any questions or writing opportunities

Backyard Banter is partnered with:

Reality Sports Online is a powerful Fantasy Sports platform where Owners get to build and manage their Fantasy team like an NFL General Manager. RSO features the revolutionary Free Agency Auction Room, which mimics NFL Free Agency, enabling Fantasy Owners to compete against each other to negotiate with and sign the NFL's top talent to single OR multi-year contracts. An intuitive algorithm acts as the player's agent -- automatically valuing offers using the same factors used in real life -- the Total Amount, Per Year Average Salary, Total Guarantee, and Contract Length.

In addition to its revolutionary Free Agency software, RSO's League Manager has tons of other cool features like: **In-season signs and cuts **Multi-team (up to 5) and Future Draft Pick Trades **Franchise Tag **Injured Reserve **Automated Contract & Salary Cap Functionality and much, much more. Test your General Manager skills today by participating in a FREE Mock Free Agency Auction at Realitysportsonline.com and use the code "banter" to get 10% off league entry fees.